Off the Grid
by Beth - Geek Chick
Summary: AU - Others may call it running away, but Auggie came to not care much about what others thought over the years. He was doing what was needed, what he needed. His leg wasn't the only thing broken during the Afghanistan War.
1. Chapter 1

Auggie Anderson stood by his front window and watched the first of the winter season's snowflakes begin to fall. He'd done the same thing for the past four years and planned on doing it every year for as long as he called this mountain cabin his home. The dichotomy of how the beauty that he was witnessing right now and how ugly these same flakes could turn in a month or two when temperatures dipped and wind blew never ceased to amaze him.

The beauty of the Washington State forest that surrounded him was a far cry from what his eyes gazed upon six years ago, but in the past half-decade, he'd taught himself to deal with what he'd seen and experienced. Now he could go for hours without a thought of desert and death.

Upon his medical discharge from the Army, he'd taken every cent he'd saved and was awarded and sunk them into finding a private paradise. Somewhere he'd be able to live peacefully with no other worries but his own. Some place where the sounds of war wouldn't jolt him from sleep or the horrors of war wouldn't make him wonder at his own sanity.

Of course, his decision to do so – made when his boots were still full of sand – wasn't accepted as easily as he made it by friends and family. They all expected the wounded war veteran to want to spend time with his parents, perhaps move in as he rehabilitated his injured leg. He did, for a while, but as soon as his doctors declared him as fit as possible – with a lifelong limp, but alive and upright – he announced to them all his plans and began to pack.

That was five years ago this past summer, and other than a twice-yearly phone call to those who insisted when he made it to town, he was living his dream. Others may call it running away, but Auggie came to not care much about what others thought over the years. He was doing what was needed, what he needed.

His leg wasn't the only thing broken during the Afghanistan War.

* * *

About an hour later, his left leg began to ache in protest of his standing vigil at the window. The sky had begun to darken, anyway, both with the setting sun and the thick clouds that let loose a steady fall of snow upon the ground. The forecast called for several inches, but Auggie figured it'd be more than that by sunrise, maybe around a foot or two to kick start the winter season. His part of the mountainside always seemed to get more than what others expected.

With a sigh, he turned back to the interior of his cabin. He needed to move around to relieve the stiffness in his leg, and he started by stoking the fireplace. The falling snow would create something of an insulation on the roof and around the walls, but it never fully staved off the colder temperatures, and he wanted to warm the place up a bit.

Though the weather had been pleasant, a perfect autumn, for the past two months, he'd learned quickly how fast winter settled here in the Northwest, and he'd started early cutting firewood and gathering tinder and kindling for the coming winter. When he'd bought the property, the cabin was fitted more as a hunting lodge for temporary housing, but he'd quickly transformed it into a self-sufficient, off-the-grid home for himself.

Once the fire was bright and licking the stones against the back of the stone chimney, he set a pot of water on to boil for coffee. He hadn't planned on ingesting caffeine so late in the day, but he had a feeling he'd need to stay awake for a while longer than he normally did so, perhaps for the entire night.

He'd tried to keep himself busy when he got back to the cabin that afternoon, but he knew sooner or later he'd have to deal with what he'd come across during his last trek through the woods before the snow fell.

That something that was now taking up space on his couch and - as his movements began to fill the living space with noise - began to stir. A quick glance over his shoulder showed him that the blonde woman was shifting and groaning and attempting to open her eyes.

He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the couch. He placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her from thrashing too much. "Hey," he said. "Are you waking up now?"

Her blinking eyes scrunched shut at his rough voice, and he wondered for a second whether he should have been gentler, but, he thought, he wasn't too happy about the situation, either.

"Hey!"

That second rebuke startled her into opening her eyes, and Auggie gentled his hold on her and, he hoped, his facial expression, lest he scared her back into unconsciousness.

"Who – what – what –"

When he was convinced she wouldn't jerk herself off the couch and onto the floor, he released her shoulders and sat back a bit, allowing her to gather her thoughts or questions or whatever was running through her mind.

Her eyes – a deep brown, he could tell now – darted around to him, the cabin, and then back to him again. Another minute passed before she spoke.

"Where am I?"

"My cabin," Auggie replied. Then, knowing what the rest of her questions would probably be and to stave off a round of interrogation, he filled her in quickly. "I found you unconscious on my property about a half mile to the west of here. From your appearance, it looked as if you were there for a while. I don't know what your injuries are or why you were there, but I carried you back here."

She nodded, something close to recognition flickering in her eyes before the confusion set in again. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but it didn't look like she was anywhere close to finding her next question to ask.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable so close to his still unnamed charge, Auggie stood up from the couch and went back to the fire. The water was close to boiling, so he readied the coffee.

"What's your name?"

His head turned towards the couch. "Auggie."

"Auggie."

"Yes."

For the next few minutes, he busied himself preparing the coffee as he liked it – strong. Even if his charge had woken up, he had a feeling it'd be a long night. Without bothering to ask, he prepared for her a slightly weaker brew of coffee with some milk and sugar. It'd have to do. He wasn't a tea drinker, and besides tea and water, there were no other options.

He took the mug back to her and pulled his armchair closer to her and settled back with his own mug of straight black coffee. Her eyes had followed him since he stood up from the couch, and they were on him now. He returned her stare, waiting for more questions to come. Maybe five years ago, he'd be more receptive to the social, unspoken cues that she was exhibiting, but now?

"My name's Annie."

"Annie," Auggie replied. "Nice to meet you. Anything else you remember?"

Her eyes narrowed, and her head tilted at his still-gruff tone of voice. He wasn't sure what she expected. He wasn't the one who trespassed onto private land and passed out.

She settled back on the arm of the couch, her face still a mixture of confusion and wonder. Her hands clutched at the hand-quilted throw that Auggie had thrown over her when he first laid her down hours ago.

"My name is Annie Walker. And before I explain anything more, thank you for taking me in."

She paused after saying this, and it took Auggie a second before he realized she was waiting for a response. "You're welcome."

"What day is it?"

"Tuesday."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

She fell silent then, and her eyes dropped from his face to her hands which clutched the edge of the quilt. Without even her saying as much, he surmised that she'd been laying there much longer than he thought.

"I – I guess I fell harder than I thought or something," she said. "I'd made camp in the afternoon – I guess it's yesterday afternoon, if you say it's now Tuesday. I knew I only had a couple of days before the weather set in, so I wanted to get some hiking in and take some pictures and video."

Her voice trailed off, and her eyes swung up to the window behind the couch. Auggie didn't blame her. The view was beautiful when the weather was clear, but the falling snow turned the vista into one of absolute awe and wonder.

"What happened?" he asked, bringing her back to the present.

Her gaze swung back towards him, and he chose to ignore the slight rebuke he saw in its depths.

"I went off the trail. And before you say it was stupid, I usually go off the trail. Nobody pays for pictures that have already been taken a dozen times before. Anyway, what's the use of venturing on clear paths?"

A sarcastic rebuke was on Auggie's lips, but he chose to just smile and ignore it and allow her explain why he was listening to her now instead of doing his work.

"And I guess I stumbled or something? I don't know. It's kind of hazy, but I think I was walking on some fallen leaves or something, and the ground gave way? Maybe a hidden depression or something? I don't know. God, why can't I remember? Anyway, that's all I remember, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up here."

Auggie's instincts rankled then. If what her words were saying was true, she'd fell and injured herself yesterday and had laid unconscious until he found her today and brought her back to his cabin. Though he'd fully embraced his recluse and solitary lifestyle in the past few years, the soldier part of him took in what Annie said and immediately went into action.

He traded his recliner for his previous spot beside her on the couch. "Okay. From what you've said, you've been unconscious – probably in and out of it – for 24 hours." While he said that, his hands began an inspection of her body, starting at her scalp.

She cowered back against the pillow, but Auggie kept his movements quick and clinical. At least that's what his hands and face showed to her, but inside, he was noticing things. Her hair was long, blonde, and soft. Her skin was flawless and smooth. As for the rest of her body, he had to start concentrating pretty had on what he was doing instead of what he was feeling.

When he'd reached her feet, her leg jerked back, and a painful hiss escaped her lips. The boots she wore reached high up her ankle, but Auggie had a feeling her half-remembered "stumble" had given her a sprain somewhere.

"I'm going to take your boot off. Try to keep still."

She nodded, so he undid the laces and gently eased the heavy boot off of her foot. No blood was apparent on her sock, and he slid it off. The telltale red and blue spotting encircled her ankle bone, and the entire area was slightly swollen. No doubt the boot helped keep the swelling down, but it needed more than that to heal effectively.

"Wow, that looks terrible."

Auggie half-smiled at her words, then removed her other boot and sock. The skin there looked normal, so he took her injured foot and tucked a couple of pillows underneath it. "It'll need something cold on it for 20-minute intervals, and I'll wrap it for you."

Well, he thought, at least the weather outside provided the cold he needed. After filling a plastic baggie with some packed snow, he dug through his first-aid supplies for an Ace bandage.

She didn't say anything or utter any hint of discomfort as he snugly wrapped her foot and ankle, then replaced it back on the pillows and placed the baggie of snow on top of it. "20 minutes, then you can take it off."

The obvious physical damage attended to, Auggie thought her confusion and the fact that she'd been out in the elements, probably in and out of consciousness for at least a day.

"Other than loss of memory, do you have any other symptoms?"

"I have a headache. I think my head must have hit a rock or something," she said, her hand lifting up to her temple.

Auggie again probed the area with his fingers and, pushing her hair out of the way, saw redness and slight abrasion. He then took he head in his hands and lifted her face more toward the light. "Your pupils are good, and you don't seem too confused or lethargic. Although if you were more seriously hurt, I couldn't do much more for you, anyway."

He shrugged and stood up from the couch, his leg wincing at the awkward positioning. Absently rubbing at it, he walked/limped over to his recliner and sat down. "I made some coffee."

"Maybe in a bit," she replied.

He nodded and began drinking his own. Not the way he'd planned on spending the night, but nothing could be done about that now. Given how much snow had fallen and was continuing to fall, he knew that there'd be no way his new roommate would be leaving any time soon.

* * *

**A/N Not sure exactly where I'm going with this. I've just always had a dream of living off on my own, maybe off the grid, maybe not, just living a simple life. ****Since I can't do that, got to write it. And who better to fulfill my fantasy than my favorite FF couple? A&A.**

**Please review w/ thoughts, ideas, opinions. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

An easy, if awkward, silence settled in the cabin as Auggie sat and drank his coffee. After a couple of minutes, Annie reached over and grabbed her own. He didn't exactly stare at her, but kept his eyes in her direction to gauge her reactions to the liquid as she drank it.

He'd hoped that her overnight stay in the forest was a result of a slight concussion and exhaustion instead of more serious damage. He half-remembered the symptoms she'd be exhibiting if it were, but since she'd  
woken up, he'd seen nothing in terms of nausea or lethargy. Her eyes were  
normal, and given how she was gulping down the coffee, nothing was wrong with her appetite.

She sat the empty mug on the table, and Auggie went to retrieve it. He was halfway across the room to rinse them out when she spoke again.

"Would you happen to have a bathroom nearby?"

The question was hesitant, and a smirk graced his mouth. "Yeah."

She'd probably thought his rustic cabin in the dense forest came complete with  
an outhouse, and she'd have to limp out into the snowstorm to relieve herself. After doing so for the first few months he lived there, Auggie decided there were a few things he refused to accept, even if he did want to rough it out off the grid. His first major renovation of the place was to install a usable bathroom, no easy feat given lack of public sewer lines. But he'd managed it, using technology from RVs. He was even able to include a shower and a sink.

He dropped the empty mugs in the sink and walked back over to her. She pushed the blanket off her legs, and he helped her shrug out of her jacket.

"Put your arm around my shoulders," he said. He positioned himself on her side to act as a crutch, and they slowly hopped, shuffled across the room to the bathroom. The area inside was small enough that she was able to hold onto the sink and maneuver around without further help from him.

"Thanks," she said with a grateful smile.

"No problem," he replied. "You can take some time, if you want, clean up,"  
he said, motioning over to the sink.

She nodded and pushed the door closed. Auggie stared at the wood for a few seconds before turning away. He was at a slight loss as to what he should do now. He hadn't completely lost his social skills, but a handful of trips to town over the years was a far cry from having someone as a houseguest.

If he were by himself, he'd have eaten supper already and settled into his nightly routine. It'd be no trouble to double the rations and make another plate. Also, he thought, the clothes she was wearing were two days old now, so maybe she'd want to change. Their builds weren't dissimilar – she was just a bit shorter and thinner than he was, so he pulled out a pair of thermal pants and long-sleeved shirt from his dresser.

He was about to knock on the bathroom door when it swung open, and she peeked out. "Oh!" she exclaimed seeing him standing there.

"Sorry to scare you. Thought you might want to change," he said, handing the bundle of clothes through the opening.

"Thanks, again," she said, taking them from him. "I was actually just going to ask if you could get me my backpack? I got a toothbrush in there, and –"

"Oh, of course," Auggie said, mentally smacking himself that he hadn't thought of it before. She probably had a change of clothes in there, as well. A few seconds later, he was handing that over to her, as well, which she accepted before shutting the door again on him.

He then settled down to making his – their supper. Not sure if her taste extended to a beef and vegetable stew, he figured she could at least eat the vegetables and bread.

The rich smell began to waft through the cabin, and he inhaled deep. Making his own food from meat he'd shot and vegetables he grew during the summer, somehow, made him feel useful and eased his mind. Plus, it kept his need to buy provisions in town at a minimum.

"Auggie?"

The soft voice brought him out of the reverie he was in staring at the flames, and he jumped to his feet to see Annie standing on one foot outside the bathroom. "Give me a hand?"

He automatically went to her injured side and looped her arm around his shoulders. The minute it took for them to get back across to the couch was slightly different this time around. Her foot was bare, and her body was no longer wearing heavy, shapeless jeans and a few layers of shirts. His thick thermal pants and long-sleeved shirt hung on her a bit, but that didn't hide the fact that they were now hung around a shapely woman instead of a rangy, muscled man.

"I can't tell you how much better I feel after brushing my teeth," she said with a laugh.

Auggie nodded and returned her smile as she settled back onto the couch. The thick quilt was pulled back over her lap, and he made sure her foot and ankle were elevated.

"I was about to fix myself some supper. I made extra, just in case you were hungry."

"Yes, please. I could smell it in the bathroom," she said, and as if to punctuate her hunger, her stomach growled loudly.

"It's a good sign. Means your concussion wasn't too severe. You should still take it easy, though."

The stew was boiling now, and he removed it from the fire. He soon filled two bowls and added a hunk of bread to the top. He usually sat at his small table to eat, but he didn't want to look any more anti-social than he probably looked to his houseguest, so he handed her a bowl and settled down in his recliner with his.

He settled into eating, dipping the hunk of bread in every so often. She was doing the same. In fact, it looked as if she hadn't eaten in quite a while given how swiftly the stew was disappearing from the bowl.

"No need to go so fast," he said. "There's plenty more."

Her movements slowed at his words, and he added, "Though I guess if I hadn't eaten for a day and a half, I probably wouldn't bother with a spoon."

"You're right," she said. "Though I probably should slow down. I doubt if I could get to the bathroom fast if I needed to vomit."

Auggie laughed around a bite of bread. "That's true."

"Did you – did you make this yourself? It doesn't really taste like Campbell's."

"Yeah, it's mine."

"Then my compliments to the chef."

Her soft remark of adoration brought a genuine smile to his face, and Auggie felt a surge of happiness that startled him. Heaven knew how long it'd been since he'd received accolades of any kind that wasn't from the lips of a higher-ranking officer. He wasn't sure what to do with the feeling, so he mumbled, "My pleasure," before he dove back into his stew.

They finished eating in silence, the glow from the fire illuminating the interior of the cabin more and more as it grew darker outside. Auggie then collected the bowls and set about washing dishes and doing his normal chores around the cabin. He normally spent nights before he went to sleep outside looking at the stars or just enjoying the clean air and silence, but with the onset of winter, that was out of the question.

When the weather precluded such night time outdoor activities, or when he just didn't feel like it, Auggie took to his notebooks. The counseling he'd been forced to undergo after everything went down in the desert meant nothing to him, but finding, really, no one that fully understood what he felt, he took to writing it down.

He never expected anyone to read what he wrote, and after writing, never read them himself, but a stack of them sat on the mantle, full of his handwriting.

Doing such introspection now, though, when he had an audience, didn't appeal to him at all. Plus, he needed to stay up as long as possible, just to assuage his own conscience that Annie was healthy enough to be left to herself for the night before he climbed to the loft to his own bed.

He grabbed up another log and tossed it on the fire.

"You know, I've got a pack of cards in my backpack, if you're up for some gin rummy."

Auggie nodded. "Sure."

* * *

**A/N Okay, I know some of you are averse to a "seeing Auggie," as it's been termed, but think of it this way. I've written 60-plus Covert Affairs stories and need to expand and write something different every once in a while. I hope you understand.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

To make it easier for them both, Auggie pulled his chair up closer to the couch, and they used the few inches of space on the quilt beside Annie to lay the cards and deal. He had a deck of cards, as well, somewhere in the cabin, but other than a few card tricks and endless games of Solitaire, they hadn't been of much use to him lately. As Annie soon found out halfway through their first game.

Auggie was trying his best, 'cause gin rummy, at its core, was just a matter of acquiring matching cards and emptying his hand faster than she, but he seemed to be collecting more cards than he was laying down.

He was concentrating on what seemed to be almost half the stack clenched in both his hands when Annie struck up conversation.

"So, Auggie," she said. "do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?"

"Mm," he replied non-committedly, shuffling a few cards.

"Is there a reason why I'm laying on your couch and not lying in a hospital right now?"

He stopped shuffling and raised his eyes to hers, wondering at the sudden choice of topic she chose. Was he doing something wrong, he thought. But what he saw on her face was just curiosity and not outright accusation, so he replied, "Yes, actually.

For one, you were unconscious when I found you, so immediate first aid was required. This cabin was less than a mile away, while the nearest hospital is about 50, I think."

Her mouth dropped open at that. "Wow, really? I must have hiked further than I thought."

"Mind if I ask a question?" Auggie countered.

"Quid pro quo?"

Auggie shrugged. "Why not?"

"Does that count as your question?"

"Only if that counts as your next one."

She laughed aloud at this, and Auggie joined in, surprised at his own quick wit. She waved her hand for him to continue.

"Well, I've been wondering a lot of things, but I guess the main one is, is anyone missing you right now? I don't have any phone here for you to call them, so –"

She shook her head. "Nope. The only thing missing me now is my tent and sleeping bag, which I'm guessing is a lost cause," she said with a frown. "I doubt I can even remember where I camped."

"Your car?" Auggie asked.

"Rental, actually, parked on the side of the road. I locked it up. Keys are in my backpack, but –" she sighed, then ran a hand over her face. "I just hope it's not stolen or something."

"Why is no one missing you?" Auggie asked. After the words left his lips, he realized it might have been too personal, but he couldn't imagine someone with her looks being alone in life.

She shrugged. "'Cause my friends know I often go off on trips like this, and my only family is my sister, Danielle, and she's since given up on keeping track of my comings and goings. I've got an open invitation to her guest house whenever I'm in town, but I prefer to keep moving."

Auggie nodded, then returned his attention to the cards in his hands. He was glad and relieved that there was no risk of a search party out on the lookout for her. The snow outside was deep enough. He didn't want to think about dozens of people trudging through it or emergency personnel risking their lives to locate her.

They continued on with their game for the next several minutes, and Auggie thought he was making progress – the cards in his hands had dwindled significantly – when Annie slapped her remaining two cards down and shouted, "Gin!"

"What?" Auggie cried. "Oh, man. I was almost there."

"Well, maybe next time," Annie said, patting the back of his hand.

Auggie frowned and began gathering up the cards.

"It's my turn for a question."

"Okay," he said with a defeated sigh.

"Why is a good-looking guy such as yourself all by himself up here in the woods?"

Auggie knew he should have expected it and planned accordingly, but the warmth of the fire, and the congenial camaraderie they'd built up so far meant he'd let down his guard and probably invited the probing question that now hung between them.

A question that he knew he should answer, but the words refused to leave his lips. What if he scared her with the fact that he'd seen so much death and human barbarity six years ago that he was frightened of the state of his own sanity? Would she run – well, hobble - out of here into the snow in horror?

Would she look on him in pity or sorrow or, worse yet, sympathy? He'd had enough of that during the endless months between the desert and his private heaven here in Washington. His teeth clenched at the thought of reliving that hell all over again.

"You know," he said, pushing those thoughts out of his head. "You really shouldn't be pushing yourself too hard. I'd give you my bed, but I doubt you'd get up those stairs to the loft, so I hope the couch is comfortable enough."

His words came quick, but Auggie didn't care. He quickly gathered up all of the cards they had, neatly stacked them and inserted them in the cardboard box they came in. He heard her asking his name and if he was all right, but Auggie pretended he didn't hear her and set about setting the cabin back to rights in preparation for the night.

His recliner was pushed back in its original position. Door secured and locked. Dishes cleaned and put away. Her deck of cards was inserted back into its slot in the backpack. He normally completely doused the fireplace at night just to save on logs, but he just beat it back enough to let it die down naturally. It'd give the room warmth for a bit more before going out completely. Even so, he grabbed the last two quilts he had in storage and laid them over her for warmth.

He mumbled a good night before disappearing into the bathroom to brush his teeth and change his clothes. The small area was a bit awkward to do so, but he doubt his house guest would appreciate a full-on monty after only a few hours of acquaintance. He then silently climbed the short ladder to his loft and dove beneath the layers of fur and down that was his nest of a bed.

His conscience tried to remind him that, as her rescuer, he was required to stay with her and monitor her condition, but the self-preserving side of him whose voice had grown just as loud, if not louder, over the years, reminded him that she sounded coherent enough 15 minutes ago, and if anything was wrong with her, the symptoms would have presented themselves by now.

While the two warring sides of his mind shouted at each other, Auggie clutched his extra pillow to his chest and readily, if restlessly, fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A/N Oh, Annie, when will you learn? One step forward, two steps back. Seems that although Auggie's leg has mended, his mind still requires some TLC.**

**Thanks to all the sweeties who reviewed previous chapter. Let's keep it up and make my Friday and weekend extra sweet! **

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

As he's had his entire life – pre war and post – Auggie rose the next morning instantly awake, ready to go, his mind clear. Everybody dreamed, he knew that, but whether or not his mind went on secret journeys while he slept, he had no idea. It bothered him when he was younger, but now counted it as a blessing.

The state of his blankets and sheets often bore evidence of a restless sleep, and he never woke up in the same position he fell asleep in, but what caused that night time tumbling remained a mystery.

Most mornings nowadays he woke to soft sunlight filtering through the windows and complete silence, but a couple of things were different this morning. One, he smelled coffee, and two, he heard his new roommate hopping around downstairs.

The memory of last night played through his head almost immediately, and he rolled onto his back and threw his arm over his eyes. They'd been getting along fine until she asked the question. The one that made him shut down, pretend everything was fine, and essentially run away. There was no way, he thought, that he'd be able to pull off acting like nothing was wrong.

Plenty was not right about this situation. But, he reminded himself, it was just temporary. Soon, she'd be gone, and he'd be left to himself and his solitary paradise. If she pressed again as to why he was here, he'd say something simple like he saw a documentary about living off the grid and wanted to give it a go.

His plan solid and pep talk complete, Auggie got out of bed and stepped down the ladder.

"Good morning, Auggie."

His sock-covered feet hit the wooden floor, and he turned to see Annie kneeling in front of the fire. Before he could say anything about her injuries, she grabbed his heavy-duty push broom that was lying next to her and, using it as a crutch, pushed herself up onto her uninjured foot.

"Hope you don't mind me borrowing this."

He shook his head. "No, of course not. Clever idea, actually."

"Thanks. I wasn't sure what time you got up and wanted to repay our hospitality," she said, sweeping her hand around.

Auggie followed her gesture and saw that she'd set the couch to rights, folding up all the blankets. The fire was roaring now, sending a much-needed warmth through the chilling cabin. He also noticed his coffee percolator was on the fire grate.

"I was watching how you did it yesterday. If you'd have slept a little longer, I was going to whip together some breakfast."

Her words were soft and entreating, and Auggie saw that she was looking at him with hope in her eyes. He recognized the unspoken apology, and suddenly felt all the anxiety and pressure he felt since waking drain away.

"That's not necessary," he said, taking a step toward her. "Why don't you get back on the couch and elevate that foot while I take care of the rest?"

"Are you sure? It doesn't feel that bad," she said, taking a hop on her good foot.

Auggie smiled. "You'll have plenty of time to repay any favors later," he said. "That ankle needs as much rest as it can get. Plus, I'm still not convinced your concussion is completely clear."

"But –"

He gave her no further opportunity to protest and stepped closer. With one movement, he had her swept up in his arms, and the broom went clanking onto the floor. "No buts. Thanks for starting the fire, though. Sometimes it's a beast to get started once it's died off."

Once she was on the couch again, he placed one of the quilts over her legs and sat her injured foot up on the stack of the others. "I'll rewrap that again later. If the pain's bad, I do have some pain reliever."

"I took some I had in my backpack," she said. "Tylenol."

"Toothbrush, cards, pills. You're pretty well stocked up there," he said.

"Pretty much everything I camped with, except my tent and sleeping bag," she said, settling back against the cushions.

Auggie walked over to the fire and checked the percolator as the flames licked at the bottom of it. She'd set it up perfectly, so he left it to work and grabbed his clothes out of the dresser and headed to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, he came out, and his eyes went immediately to the couch to make sure Annie was still there and didn't decide to get her own coffee. She still lay there, looking out the window at the still falling flakes of snow.

Auggie made a mental note to check the weather band again on his radio to see how bad the storm hit the area, but first both he and his houseguest needed some breakfast. "How does oatmeal sound for breakfast?"

"Whatever you're having is fine," Annie replied.

Auggie wondered if she was telling the truth or just being agreeable with him considering last night's discussion and his way of ending the conversation by ignoring her and walking away. He decided to just ignore that particular elephant in the room and get to heating water for the oatmeal. He pulled out some dried apple pieces and cinnamon to add to it, as plain oatmeal never appealed to him.

"How much snow do you think is out there?"

"Weather reports predicted under a foot, but my experience with this side of the mountain is we got more than that."

"It's so pretty, don't you think?"

Auggie shrugged. He appreciated the beauty of his land in any season, but that was mainly because it was quiet and showed no signs of death and destruction. But as for everything being covered in snow in and of itself?

"It's a free source of water, so I appreciate that."

"Mm, that's true, I guess," she replied. "Wish I didn't have this bum leg. I'd love to get some pictures of this."

That reminded Auggie of something she said yesterday about going off the trail because people didn't pay money for normal pictures. "So you're a professional photographer or something?"

"Mm, only freelance, but it makes me enough money to allow me to travel and pay the bills," she said. "I've been in Washington for a good month now. I can't seem to get enough of this type of country."

"I know what you mean," Auggie agreed, pulling the coffee pot off the fire and placing the pot of oatmeal in its place. "Want your coffee same as yesterday?"

"Actually, I'd just like it black, if you don't mind."

To make things easier for both of them, Auggie slid his small kitchen table he usually at on across the floor so they could eat more comfortably. Though Annie showed some resolution and recovery getting up herself, he didn't want to turn his back and find her hobbling across the floor with her "crutch."

He sat both of their coffees on it and pulled his recliner up to the other side. They both sat and enjoyed the hot beverage in silence for a minute or two until Annie sat hers on the table.

"I was thinking this morning about last night," she said. "And I know what I asked was out of line. It's none of my business why you're here."

"Then why did you ask?" Auggie replied.

"I don't know. It just looked like you weren't all that happy, and I was curious. But this morning I was thinking about it, and putting myself in your shoes, I'd be pretty grumpy if my solitude was interrupted by a silly hiker who got herself knocked out in the woods with a bad storm coming."

Auggie's mouth opened, then closed, as he tried to come up with a reply. She went back to sipping her coffee, and before he returned to his own mug, he said, "You're not silly."

"This twisted ankle and bump on my head would have to disagree with you."

"Well, maybe distracted and clumsy, but I don't find you silly at all."

She smiled in response, and Auggie felt it again, that unexpected little surge of happiness. He was in his 30s, yet in her presence, Auggie felt like a teenager again, getting to know the cute new transfer from another school. It'd been less than a day, but his attraction and affinity to her was immense.

It was at this time that a thought popped into his mind that maybe he should tell her the truth. Not everything, not the details. He didn't even like to think about that. But just the main points of why he planned to spend the rest of his life in this cozy little cabin by himself. So far, she hadn't seemed to pass judgment on him in any way, so why not open up a little? Heaven knew that his stack of notebooks weren't doing much good at clearing his mind.

Their breakfast, though, chose at that moment to start filling the cabin with its aroma, and he went to stir it. He'd tell her later, he thought. He'd just need a few hours to get the words sorted in his mind.

Besides, the falling snow outside, though pretty, did need his attention. He'd think about what he'd confess to Annie while clearing a path from the cabin and getting as much snow off the roof and solar shields as he could before it got too deep.

* * *

**A/N Thanks so much, everyone who's following along for your love and reviews. Yes, this is a seeing Auggie, but I see his character, in general, as a strong, confident, attractive man in the prime of his life who, through the horrors of war, got sent home, damaged and broken. This story's Auggie, I think, is a bit more tragic than canon Auggie. I got the idea of a story of another, real-life, war veteran who promised himself that, if he got out alive, he'd find a quiet piece of land to live out the rest of his life. The off the grid, solitary idea is just a dream of mine after seeing several television shows and documentaries about the lifestyle.**

**Have a great day, and please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N An occasional Annie POV to cover all bases, though this is mostly an Auggie story. Enjoy!**

**Annie POV**

She tried not to stare as Auggie put on his heavy boots, jacket, wool hat, and gloves. Yeah, tried to, but she didn't succeed very well. Ever since she woke up yesterday afternoon, in pain and completely disoriented, she couldn't quite take her eyes off of Auggie Anderson.

He didn't look to be more than a few years older than herself. He was fit, muscular, but in a rangy, ninja-type way rather than a body builder way. His brown, wavy hair was overgrown, but in a "want to run your hands through it" way rather than a "desperately in need of a haircut" way.

Soon, though, he was fully dressed and, after making her promise to stay on the couch unless the place caught on fire or to go to the bathroom, opened the heavy door and trudged out into the snow. The snowfall had, by that time, slid off into the odd flurry, and the sky was lightening.

She wondered whether or not the sun would peek out from the still heavy bank of clouds that obscured the sky. With nothing else to do until Auggie got back, Annie pulled her backpack next to her and pulled out her camera equipment.

At least it wasn't damaged in the fall, she thought, or the unplanned overnight stay laying on the ground. She scanned through the pictures she'd been able to take, mentally editing them and deciding which ones she would package to sell.

That task done, she fit a lens on, adjusted for indoor light, and took several photos of the indoor of the cabin. They were strictly for her own use, unless Auggie agreed to let her use them. And given the reticence and reluctance she'd encountered so far, that'd be a hard argument to win.

After getting all possible angles available, she looked out the window behind the couch. It provided a wide vista of the land, and she immediately began capturing the view.

After a few minutes, she saw Auggie come into view, a long stick in his hands. His shoulders were covered in snow, but what drew Annie's interest was the easy smile and happiness that was apparent on his face. She quickly adjusted her camera and captured that look. She'd only seen hints of it so far, and she had to admit it mesmerized her.

She continued clicking as he lifted the stick up towards the roofline, and soon a swath of snow fell down onto the ground, blinding her view of him for a few seconds. When it cleared, she saw he was laughing and brushing the snow off the front of his coat.

The solidness of the cabin and windows completely muted the sound of his laughter, and Annie almost wanted to run outside just to hear. It completely changed him, she thought. The haunting, sad, and aggravated look she'd seen so much of yesterday and today was completely gone. It its place was someone who enjoyed himself and was at peace with his entire situation.

And then he walked out of range of the window. Annie craned her neck and body, but he was completely out of sight. She sank back against the pillows with a groan of disappointment and a twinge to her foot that didn't appreciate being moved.

She shook her head at her train of thought. She must've hit her head harder than she thought if all she could do is stare at her rescuer with her tongue hanging out. Either that, or it'd been way too long since she had a man in her life. Both scenarios would be valid at this point in time, she knew.

But other than taking pictures from her prone position or staring at Auggie, there wasn't much she could do just lying there. She was so used to moving and traveling that just staying on the couch grated at her sense of well-being.

With a sigh, she opened her backpack again, wondering if anything in there would help her pass the time. Her hand slid over her phone, and she pulled it out. The entire time she was hiking, the signal showed zero, so she'd turned it off and stopped checking it.

She wasn't sure from her vantage point by the window where on the mountains she was, so she decided to turn it on and cross her fingers. A few seconds later, it dinged to life, but still showed "No service."

"Well," she said aloud. "It was worth a shot." She turned it back off and put it back in the bag.

A few minutes later, she was contemplating how mad Auggie would be if she got up off the couch when he walked through the door. It seemed as though gotten most of the snow off of himself, but flakes still stuck to his hair and all over his jacket and boots.

"That looked like fun," she said.

He smiled and gave his head a shake, making the flakes float onto the floor. "It's not polite to spy," he teased.

Annie shrugged. "Can't help it. It's my nature. Plus, I haven't got much more to do here."

"Don't worry about it," he said, taking off his coat and boots and setting them by the fire to dry off. "You'll be on your feet soon enough, and you can get pummeled by a small avalanche, too."

She laughed, "Yeah, right. I saw you laughing, don't deny it."

"Remind me to pull the curtains next time I go out, then."

Annie scoffed, but then realized that the same easygoing look that she'd noticed and photographed outside was still there on his face. The change it caused to his demeanor made her heart melt a little, and she couldn't help sinking back into her habit of watching his every move.

In any other situation or place, Annie knew she wouldn't be emotionally or physically responding to another human being so powerfully, but she couldn't help herself. This ruggedly handsome, lonesome rescuer of damsels in distress intrigued her more than any other man she'd ever met.

So much so that she had to ask him to repeat himself when he asked her a question, and all she heard were the last few words.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm going to have a look at your ankle and rewrap it, if you don't mind?"

He was standing over her, and Annie nodded and shifted on the couch to allow him to sit at the end. His hands were cool as they lifted her foot and laid it in his lap.

"So, I was thinking about something when I was outside," he said, slowly and gently unwrapping the bandage.

"Oh, yeah? What about?"

He took a deep breath and said, "You asked me last night about why I'm here, why I've chosen to seclude myself from the world."

"Oh, Auggie, I said you -"

He raised a hand to stop her and said, "Please, just let me."

Annie nodded. He looked back down at her ankle and began to talk.

"I've been here for just over four years, going on my fifth winter. I own this cabin and a bunch of acreage around it. Five years ago – no, make that six years ago now, I was stationed with my Special Forces group at the base in Tikrit. That's in Iraq."

He paused and looked up for a second, and though Annie was a bit confused by the influx of information being thrown at her so suddenly, she nodded for him to continue.

"Yeah, well, I was a soldier. Always was one, always wanted to be one, to tell you the truth. My father retired from the Army a full Colonel, and there really wasn't any question as to what me or my four older brothers would do after we graduated from school. You know, you'd think that one of us would rebel, but we didn't. We all wanted to make him proud and serve our country."

He paused at that point, and Annie wanted to say something to keep him talking, but he just paused when the bandage came loose from her leg. His fingers began soothing over the skin, and she closed her eyes in the bliss of the caress, but once he'd stopped and began to wrap and talk, she opened her eyes and listened.

"Tikrit was – well, I'm sure you've seen the news reports. We were making progress, though, and everything was going fine until –"

He paused again, and this time, his hands froze, as well as they cradled her heel.

Annie reached over and lightly touched his forearm. "Go ahead, Auggie."

It took a few deep breaths, but after a minute, he continued his story. "I can't go into details, sorry, but something happened, and a bunch of my men died, and I was left with a busted leg. It took a while for help to get to us, which meant that I lay there, watching them all die or already dead all around me, wondering when it was my turn."

He'd completed wrapping her ankle, but still held it in his lap and ran his fingers over the material.

"When it became apparent that I wasn't going to die the honorable death, but just have to live injured and in pain, I made a promise to myself. If I got out of there alive, I would never, ever allow my eyes to see such death and destruction and mayhem ever again. It took a long time, and nobody ever understood why or believed that I could do it, but I didn't care. I had to get away."

His words and hands stopped at the same time, and Annie let the silence hang for a few minutes until she realized he'd told as much of his story that he was able to at that moment. To say she was heartbroken was putting it lightly. The despair and feeling of his voice touched her as much as his words and story did, and Annie did the only thing she could think to do at that moment.

It was slow, given their positions and her injury, but she sat up and scooted closer to him. When she was close enough, her arms reached as far as they could around his shoulders, and she pulled him close.

He was hesitant at first, but she didn't insist too harshly, and after a few seconds resistance, he acceded and allowed her embrace. It was a bit awkward, but Annie didn't care. This mountain man that she'd built up in her mind to be her rescuer, her ruggedly handsome hero, was nothing more than a mere mortal beaten down by life and trying to make the best of it.

* * *

**A/N One of those scenes where you're going Aww! at the end of it. This is a romance, after all, and had to move these two from ogling each other to actual physical contact. :)**

**I hope you enjoyed it, and please, as always, leave a word of review! **


	6. Chapter 6

He'd had it all planned out in his head, what he'd explain to Annie, but once he got to the part after the bomb exploded, the memories came flashing, harsh and bright. His instinct, honed over the past few years, kicked in, and he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, willing his brain to stop racing and heart to return to its normal rate.

Reminding himself he was no longer a soldier took almost as long as it did to become one, and his body was loathe to give up the discipline and razor-sharp instincts that kicked his adrenaline into high gear every time he was faced with a perceived threat. The problem now, though, was that his brain sometimes couldn't distinguish between real threats and just memories.

He wasn't sure how many minutes passed, or seconds, but soon her foot and ankle that rested in his hands was moving, and slid out of his fingers. He opened his eyes to see Annie was no longer prone across the couch with her feet in his lap, but now only a foot across from him with her arms outstretched.

Their positions were awkward - his right leg folded in front of him while he'd positioned his left at an angle that wouldn't exacerbate it too much. She'd crossed her legs in front of her and slid forward, and he wasn't quite sure what she was trying to do until her hands hit his shoulders. Slight pressure pulled him forward, and for a few seconds, the soldier in him resisted, but he pushed that thought away.

Of all the hugs in the world, this barely met the requirements, but Auggie accepted it, all the same. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and his slid around her back. Their heads tucked into the other's necks, and though he tried to stifle it, Auggie's throat let out some kind of mix between a sigh and a whimper.

"Shh," she whispered, and he let go. He's not sure how one tiny word and a half-hug quieted the war in his mind, but he refused to use this nirvana of peace to troubleshoot his mental issues.

She hadn't changed out of his thermal shirt and pants, and his hands slipped over the soft, ribbed material. Though wearing his clothes and only having a quick wash-up after spending the night outdoors, Auggie could swear her hair smelled of citrus and lemons. He inhaled deeply and felt her shudder slightly under his hands.

She breathed out onto his neck, and his body shook, as well, in response. His arms instinctively clenched to pull her closer, but they simultaneously hissed out varying grunts of pain as his leg refused to be pushed at such an awkward angle, and her sprained ankle didn't appreciate being twisted between their bodies.

They let go at the same time, with Annie grabbing her foot and Auggie leveraging himself off of the couch to take the weight off of his aching thigh. They didn't look at each other until she pushed herself back and raised her ankle back onto the stack of blankets, and he had sat in his armchair, his leg straight in front of him as he soothed the muscle with his palm.

It was only a hug, he told himself, but he swear he could still smell her scent, and his body and mind were rebelling at the loss of the too-short embrace. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just a twinge," she said with an apologetic smile. "Maybe I should've thought more about that before just jumping up and grabbing you."

"No, it's okay," he said quickly. "I usually don't have a problem with it, but walking around outside all that time wore it out."

She nodded, "Thank you. For telling me. You didn't have to, but I'm glad you did."

"Yeah, well, since we're gonna be stuck here together for a while, I figured it'd be better if you knew the truth."

And didn't assume I was some crazy guy, he added in his mind. But no, Annie's response was almost perfect, he thought, and what he wished he'd had all those years ago instead of the Army's protocols and harshness and his family and friend's sympathy and worry. Not just the hug, 'cause he got plenty of those, but the acceptance and not pushing him to talk.

"Did you say we'll be here for a while?"

Her question pulled him out of his reverie, and he nodded. "Pretty sure. If I'd found you the day before, I might've been able to get you to town and get back before the snow, but once it starts falling, travel around here is risky."

She looked outside at the snow, and he knew she was probably thinking, the snow's not too bad. Maybe if we wait until –

He decided to lay out the facts to her and hope she doesn't get too put off by her situation. "I'm going to re-check the weather station, but this area doesn't just get a snowstorm, and la-de-da, that's it. We get bands coming down out of the northwest that pile up the snow so much we measure it by feet, not inches."

She turned to look at him, and he could still see hopeful questioning in her eyes. "And before you even think that we could go now, the closest paved road is 20 miles away. That means snow-covered, narrow dirt and gravel roads through heavy forest. Could I drive it in the snow out there? Sure. But what if something happens? If we wreck, there's no way you can walk out of there, and no way I can carry you through the snow."

He knew how harsh his words sounded, but she needed to know now that, however pretty a forest full of snow looked, it also held its own hazards and dangers.

She settled back against the cushions and resumed her vigil out the window. There really wasn't anything else Auggie could tell her to make the situation rosy red and hunky-dorry, so he got up and headed over to the other side of the cabin.

His main idea for coming here was to become completely self-sufficient, but, he had to admit to himself early on that several things were necessary if only for his own benefit and peace of mind.

One was a hand-operated weather band radio that, after a minute of cranking, was soon humming to life. The current weather, forecast, and any warnings and alert were recorded and ran continuously on a rotating basis, and Auggie sat down at his table with a paper and pen to take notes. With no television to receive local news or the Weather Channel on, he'd taken to keeping track of weather patterns himself, and it seemed his initial summation yesterday was correct. The first snow storm of the season would be significant, with continuing accumulation for at least a week.

And then, Auggie knew, it would be another week or two for roads to be cleared and, if temps rose enough, the snow to melt enough for safe passage. He usually didn't care about the roads once he settled in for the season, but by the look on Annie's face earlier, she certainly wasn't planning on an extended stay.

Once the forecast repeated twice, he switched it off and stowed it back away into the storage unit that lined the wall. When he turned back to Annie, she looked resigned.

"Guess you heard all that, huh?"

"The part about snow, snow, and more snow? Yep," she said with a laugh. "I knew it was coming when I set out two days ago. Just wanted to get one last day of photography in before heading back. So much for that, huh?"

He resumed his seat in his armchair. "You said all the stuff you had was in the backpack, right? So all you lost was your tent."

She shook her head. "The tent is the least of my worries. I've also got a rental car parked on the side of a road that's probably been reported stolen by now 'cause I didn't return it. Or, worse yet, somebody else stole it."

She tried to laugh, but the mirth didn't quite reach her eyes. Now Auggie understood. She wasn't upset at being stuck here with him for the near future. She just didn't want to spend time in handcuffs and charged with grand theft auto when she got off this mountain.

He thought for a minute, then got up again and went back over to where he stowed the radio. Next to it sat a box that he hadn't accessed in a couple of years. The CB radio was strictly for emergencies, but, he figured, keeping Annie out of jail was as close to an emergency as could be.

"Don't tell me you have a telephone in there?" Annie asked. "Kind of goes against the whole off-the-grid idea, doesn't it?"

"Not quite," Auggie replied as he brought it over to show her. "I've got to hook it up and mount the antenna, but with a little luck, I can contact somebody to get you off the hook with the law."

"Really? Thank you, Auggie!"

He shrugged. "Don't thank me yet. We may not be able to contact anyone right away."

"We will. I have faith in you," she said, settling back against the couch.

* * *

**A/N Learning so much about living in Washington off the grid that I just might have to move there. :) Thanks, everyone, for the positive feedback and interest. I'm having a lot of fun with this story and am glad that you are, as well.**

**Please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

Though Auggie cooked on his fireplace and used it throughout the winter to heat the cabin's interior, his off-the-grid living came complete with a back-up, and an additional back-up, as well. His main back-up was the batteries that stored the energy from the three solar panels attached to the southern-facing side of the building. He kept his use of that electricity to a frugal level, given the fractional amount of sunlight the northwest U.S. received throughout the year.

His additional backup was the propane-fueled generator. Considering the finite amount of propane he could store, he'd rather use the solar energy first.

He explained all this to Annie as he set up the CB radio system. She watched with fascination as he opened up a hidden door on the far outside wall where the generators' access ports were.

"I was wondering about where you plugged your stove in," Annie said, pointing to the small range in the corner. It only had two burners on the top and enough room in its oven to hold a large hunk of meat or bread.

"Yeah, well, not everything I want to eat can be roasted over a fire."

"You wouldn't happen to have a refrigerator hidden in one of these walls, would you?" she said with a laugh.

"City slicker," Auggie teased, then tapped his boot against the floor. "People did live without them, you know?"

"Then what – oh, you mean you've got one of those root thingys?"

Auggie wanted to laugh, but her questions and assumptions were the same ones he had all those years ago. "Root cellar, yeah. I've got a vegetable garden out back. What I can't get to grow I buy in town for the winter."

"What about –"

Her voice faltered off, and Auggie turned to see that she'd turned her head back to look out the window. "What about what?" he asked, sitting down at the table to set up the CB radio.

"It's nothing, I was just going to ask about how you store milk or eggs or other stuff, but it almost sounded like I was interrogating you."

"Milk and eggs are powdered. Owning chickens are a cow are beyond my capability, and I keep my diet minimal and take supplements to take care of anything else my body requires."

He'd go into more detail about the store of MREs he'd stockpiled out of habit more than anything and his other supplies, but the CB was ready to go, and he had to mount the antenna. "I've got to go put this on the roof," he said, throwing his jacket on and unraveling the long cord as he took the device outside.

Auggie wasn't one to think anything of the weather other than accepting what poured out of the sky and what didn't, but he took a moment and said thanks when the clouds parted to reveal a brilliant blue as he stepped outside.

The CB's range wasn't the best under normal circumstances, but good weather and the right acoustics extended how far the signal would go. He just hoped it was enough, and he'd be able to give Annie some peace of mind.

Soon the antenna was mounted in the most optimal place, and he trudged back inside. He hoped the device still worked, 'cause he hadn't used it in a couple of years, but upon flipping the switch, the lights flickered on, and the audio crackled to life.

* * *

It'd taken a couple of hours before they'd heard anything, and then another half an hour of Auggie asking for help and for anyone to respond before someone finally did.

He ignored Annie's whoop of delight from across the room and quickly relayed both of their names, his coordinates, her condition, and where she left her car. After being assured that the information would be disseminated to the proper authorities, Auggie signed off and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, that's it," he said. "You are no longer a wanted woman."

She beamed at him from across the room. "Hearing that in any other context would be depressing, but you have no idea how happy that makes me."

Auggie chuckled as he packed the radio back up. "I'm just glad we were able to get in touch with someone."

"Don't yell or anything, but I've got to go to the bathroom, so if you wouldn't mind handing me my crutch?"

He wanted to argue that he could help, but her face showed defiance, so he grabbed up his push broom and handed it to her. She must not have expected him to do that, but he just shrugged at her surprise and went back to packing up the radio and stowing it away.

The thump-clack of her steps across the room sounded steady, and once the bathroom door shut, he sat down at his kitchen table and began to think. It'd been almost a full day since his solitude was interrupted. He'd experienced more emotion during that time than he'd had all year.

But now that reality had set in that the snow was piling up, and she was too injured to try to leave the mountain, steps and plans had to be made. He felt a twinge of regret that the plans he'd made and done the past few winters would be delayed or changed somewhat. But the soldier in him - the one who had picked her up from the cold ground, took her in, and watched over her until she woke up – simply took note of the new situation and began to make changes.

He took one of his blank notebooks – the ones he bought to journal in – and began to detail out all of his supplies. Annie found him hunched over the table a few minutes later. Instead of hopping back over to the couch, she decided to join him and pulled out the wooden chair across from him and sat down.

Auggie looked up from his lists and charts. His eyebrows rose and his head tilted just slightly, wondering how long she was going to keep pushing herself to prove to him that she wasn't as injured as he knew she was.

Her eyebrow tilted in response, and he shook his head and returned to his notebook. Every food item he owned was listed there. Water wasn't a problem, with Mother Nature providing that. He'd chopped enough wood throughout the summer to last through the winter and then some.

"What are you doing?"

"Making a list of provisions. It's got to be enough for two now instead of just me," he said, never looking up from the pad.

"Ohh. I can pay you back for whatever I use up of yours," she offered.

"Not necessary," Auggie said with a wave of his hand.

"But we don't know how long it'll be before we can make it back town, right?"

"Right, but I'm the one who decided to bring you here, and you're a guest," Auggie pointed out. "I might have been out of the social network for a while, but I think that's what manners dictate."

"But –"

Auggie raised his hand to silence her. "How about we wait until you get back to town, we calculate how long you've been here, add it up, and you can pay me then, okay?"

Her mouth opened, then closed, and she nodded. Wow, Auggie thought. He was sure she'd continue arguing, but was glad she accepted his compromise, though he knew there's no way he'd accept her money, then or now.

"I have plenty of food, don't worry. My first winter here was a painful learning experience," he frowned in remembrance. "You're not a vegan or vegetarian or whatever they're calling it these days, are you?"

She shook her head, her blonde hair fanning out with the effort. "Nope. I eat just about anything. No allergies, either."

She smiled and, coupled with her the effect of her hair acting almost like a halo, her beauty once again struck Auggie. It'd only been a day since she entered his life, yet he felt more drawn to her than anyone he'd ever met in his life.

He must've been staring at her too long for pleasantries because she cleared her throat and looked away. "Tell you what, let me unpack my backpack. Whatever I've got we can share."

She moved to get up again, but Auggie beat her to it. He'd been wondering what all was in its depths, as she'd clung to it or kept it by her side all day. His manners kept him from peeking up until now, but he was sure his curiosity wasn't going to last much longer.

He pushed his notebook to the side, and she started to unpack. Being in the Army, he'd lived life out of a pack or duffel bag for years, but the completeness and efficiency of Annie's blew him away. She treated her camera equipment with extreme care, but the rest of her belongings were laid out, one after another, until they filled the table.

"Well, that's it," she said, the empty bag now dropped to the floor. "With the exception of my clothes and personal items, of course, and my camera, all that I have is yours to use, as well."

Auggie stared at the array of items laid before him. "Are you sure you're not some secret government agent?" he asked with a laugh.

"No, why?"

He picked up a small case that, without even opening it, he knew was a lock-picking kit. "I don't have anything locked up here, unless you plan on stealing my truck," he said.

"Oh, well, you know. You never know if you're going to be locked out or whatever," she said. "Didn't the Army teach you to be prepared for anything?"

"Yes, but I was in a war zone at the time," he pointed out.

"Whatever. Can you use any of this stuff or not?"

"Of course I can," Auggie said. He'd only been joking, but he didn't want to risk offending her with his underused social skills. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The smile was back on her face, and Auggie returned it for a few seconds before settling his attention back onto her belongings. He could've stared at her smile all day, but didn't want to make her any more uncomfortable than he had so far.

"How about I clear out a drawer for you to keep your stuff, and the rest we can incorporate into mine?"

She agreed, but asked if Auggie could take care of it while she went back to the couch. He knew her ankle needed at least another couple of days of elevation and rest, and she was soon on the couch with a blanket on her lap and her ankle elevated on the pile of the rest of them.

He also got her the bottle of Tylenol she had placed on the table and sat it next to her along with a cup of water. "You rest now. I'll put up the stuff and make lunch in a little bit, okay?"

She nodded, but grabbed his hand as he went to turn away. The gentle touch felt similar to their awkward, later painful, hug last night, and Auggie's eyes met hers. He'd let the emotions he'd long buried come through last night to quiet the horrific memories that'd welled up, but there was nothing like that going on now.

Even so, the same warmth slid through him, and he wondered at its intensity and the fact that her face had softened, as well, as she laid there, and he stood there, their hands clasped between them.

"I – I just wanted to thank you again, you know, for saving my life."

Auggie swallowed to clear the lump of emotion that threatened to choke him. "Any time."

* * *

**A/N Sorry for the delay. Had a difficult time incorporating all this exposition and set-up into a scene that didn't sound like a dry soliloquy. :) Hope you all liked it. And guess what? I got an idea for another story. But kind of wondering if I should just morph it into another CA AU fanfic or actually take a stab at writing good, old-fashioned fiction. We'll see.**

**Please REVIEW! Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

It'd taken 'til the end of the week for Annie's ankle to heal enough to fit her boot back on, and her to begin walking. The first thing she wanted to do was pull on her heavy sweater and coat and walk outside. He didn't blame her. Though the place wasn't tiny, it was one large room, and despite the distractions he kept himself busy with, he preferred to get out, as well, on a regular basis, if only to walk around.

She could only go as far as he'd cleared the snow with the shovel, though. The season's first snowfall that'd stranded them there wasn't the first one, and Auggie figured they had close to 2 ½ feet already. In the East, that'd shut down a city for a few days, but like he told Annie, they measured their snow in feet, not inches.

They'd settled into a friendship of sorts that was tinged now and again with emotions and apparent attraction. He knew and recognized his own pull towards her, but over time, as he moved around, cooked, cleaned, and kept the fire going, he noticed her watching him.

He was nowhere near a virgin, but his time in the desert dampened down his previous devil-may-care attitude towards women. He knew what he looked like, and even though he lived by himself and didn't see people but a couple times a year, he still shaved every day and got his hair cut in town when he made his twice-yearly trips. Call it ego or whatever, but he drew the line at completely transforming into a hairy mountain man who never washed.

When the door banged shut behind Annie, he decided to start working. His tools and materials weren't many: fallen wood he'd collected throughout the summer and a set of wood carving knives. When he first started, he'd used a plain jack knife, but he'd spied the tools at a shop in town a few years ago and bought them.

The shop keeper, a no-nonsense woman named Joan who owned the shop along with her husband, Arthur, took notice of Auggie when he came in his second year of living on the mountain. Auggie's emotions were still kind of on top of him at that point, but the Campbells seemed to take no notice of his gruff attitude and noticeable limp.

Instead, she'd asked what he planned on doing with the small set of four different-shaped knives with large handles. Auggie had tried to pass it off as just a hobby he'd picked up to pass the time and showed her the keychain fob he'd made. He hadn't believed her when she gushed over his fine workmanship, but he'd agreed to bring in more when he came back in the spring.

And what'd started as a pipe dream to make some money that'd keep him from using his savings grew into an actual business that'd so far earned him enough to pay taxes for the year and contribute to the upkeep and upgrade on the cabin.

He'd chosen a stick of poplar to start work on and was busy removing the bark and knots when the front door opened and Annie came stomping back in. She'd taken her camera with her, and she set it on the couch before taking her coat and boots off, hanging them by the fire to dry.

"Back so soon?" he asked. "I thought after being cooped up for a week, I'd have to drag you in at sunset."

She pulled the wool cap he'd lent her off her head and shook her head, making her brilliant blonde hair fan out around her shoulders. "Well, a couple of things. One, it's really cold out there. And two, I wasn't sure my camera could take being out in the elements."

Auggie nodded. "Want to check the weather channel for the temperature?"

She shrugged. "Not really. I mean, if it's cold, it's cold. Knowing the number wouldn't really make any difference, would it?"

He smiled at that. "You've only been here a week, but you're sounding like a true homesteader, you know that?"

"Well, there is something to say about not having to rely on anyone but yourself, you know? Kind of liberating."

She grabbed up her camera gear and settled on the couch. An easy silence settled between them, and Auggie went back to working the piece of poplar. He never had an idea of what would be the finished product when he started. The process itself moved his inspiration.

So involved was he that he hadn't noticed Annie moving until she'd spoken.

"What are you working on?"

His head jerked up, and she was no longer on the far end of the couch but on the other side, directly next to him. "Oh, just wood carving. Passing the time," he said with a shrug.

"Looks more than that," she said, peering down into the box of pieces beside him. "Have you been doing it for a while?"

"A few years," Auggie said, then wondered why he was feeling shy about his work. "I, umm, sell them in town. Do you want to see?"

"Yes, of course."

Auggie dropped the wood and knife into the box and went to fetch the few items he still had on hand. Most of the ones he sold were smaller to be fashioned into keychains or jewelry or whatever. He never asked Joan what she did with the pieces.

He picked up a handful of pieces and brought them over to Annie. "Most of them have been sold, but these are a few that I kept back."

"Oh, wow, Auggie. These are beautiful," she said, picking a disc out of his palm. It was a perfectly round piece that he'd made several of. The fallen limb he'd fashioned them out of was almost perfectly formed, without a knot or imperfection in its tight, concentric rings.

"I was able to get six of these out of the limb that'd fallen, and I decided to keep one back. The carving is of the tree it fell off of," he explained.

She ran her fingers over the carving. He'd burnished the surface, giving the piece an even more 3D effect. "I never really have a set idea of what I'm going to make or anything. They're usually just animals or scenes I see around the woods."

She picked another piece up. "I've seen other pieces around the state, but these put the others to shame, Auggie."

"I doubt that," Auggie said, settling back down into his armchair. He couldn't help but feel a flush of happiness at her compliments, though. Ever since Joan had told him every item he'd given her sold that first year, he knew what he created was something more than just carved pieces of wood.

"There's no need to be modest," she admonished. "I've been wondering what you spend your time doing."

She handed him back the pieces, then sat back on the couch. "While I was outside, I was doing some thinking."

"Yeah? About what?"

"I'm going to be here a while."

"Probably, yeah."

"So, I should probably be doing something to contribute to my upkeep here," she stated.

Auggie sighed. "I thought we talked about this already. You're my guest here."

"No, I'm not talking about money. I mean, share in household duties or something. We've figured out I'm no good at cooking, so that's out."

Auggie nodded and thought back to a couple of mornings ago when he woke to an atrocious smell and Annie swearing. She'd attempted to "surprise" him with breakfast, but ended up burning everything and filling the cabin with a smell that still hadn't completely dissipated.

"But, how about I clean? Or do dishes? Or, I can help you with your job here," she said, picking up a chunk of wood out of the box.

Auggie plucked it back out of her hand. "This is just a hobby, Annie, to keep my fingers and mind occupied, but if you wouldn't mind with the upkeep, that'd be okay, I guess."

"Great. It'd give me something to my fingers and mind occupied, as well."

"Guess there's only so many pictures you can take, huh?"

"And only so much space left on my thumb drives to keep them," she added, picking up her camera. "I've been culling through them, picking and choosing which ones to keep, but everything's so beautiful around here."

"Well, if you promise not to break anything, I guess I can hand the cleaning duties over to you," he said.

"Great!" she said. "I promise, anything I do break, I'll replace."

Auggie opened his mouth to retort that she'd phrased that wrong, but closed it again because she immediately jumped up. Her camera lay forgotten on the couch, but Annie seemed to be on a mission. She grabbed up the broom and began sweeping.

* * *

**A/N Big shoutout to Epona3 for her help. Sometimes the ideas are there, but the words won't come. Everybody needs a sounding board every once in a while. So, what do you guys think about our couple hunkered down in the great NW? Any ideas for what you think they could get up to? **

**Don't forget my Twitter page, BethGeekChick. I post when I update and write about stories I'm working on. Thanks!**

**Please review. **


	9. Chapter 9

A few days later, the freezing temperatures still kept its grip on the mountain, and another foot of snow had fallen. It kept them both indoors for the majority of the time, except for a few times when Auggie had to clear snow off the roof and solar panels and other maintenance upkeep.

Annie had tried to go outdoors for some fresh air and change of scenery, but after shoveling enough snow to clear anything of a path was physically taxing. She'd come in one morning after doing so and immediately shed her outer clothes and headed to the couch and blankets.

He, of course, was used to it, but it soon became apparent that Annie had never before experienced weather this severe. The first few days, she seemed fine with it, but when the weather didn't let up, he noticed that she would stay huddled on the couch, her eyes looking out the window.

He'd offered his entire library of books he had stashed here and there to her, and she'd take one or two, but the smile and enthusiasm he'd come to expect was no longer there. He'd spent one night thinking about it. She was only there temporarily, but to someone used to travel and adventure, staying in a cabin for weeks on end had to be stifling, he knew.

So this morning, he awoke with a few ideas to integrate her into his daily activities and break her boredom. She had been cleaning, yes, there's only so many times items could be dusted or the floor swept.

They sat at the table with bowls of oatmeal in front of them and steaming mugs of coffee. Auggie ate his hungrily. He'd topped this morning's with dried peaches, but Annie simply stirred at hers and sipped at her coffee.

"So, I was thinking about baking some bread today."

Her eyes flickered up to his. "Really?"

"Yeah, we'll be able to freeze some now."

She blinked, "You have a freezer? Where –"

He shook his head, "No, in the cellar. Since the ground's frozen, we can use it to freeze items, too. I never showed you that, did I?"

"Oh, that would make sense. Might as well make some use out of this weather, huh?"

Auggie smiled. "'This weather's contributed to the coffee you're drinking and the oatmeal you're pretending to eat."

She sighed, long and slow. "I'm sorry, Auggie. You've done everything to feed me and keep me safe and warm, and I'm sitting here whining, but –" She threw up her hands in frustration. "I'm not used to not being able to do anything or go anywhere."

"I get it, I do, which is why we're going to bake bread today, and you're going to get a crash course on how to create a root cellar," he said.

"Oh, Auggie, I don't know. Remember the last time –"

He held his hand up, "I said we're going to do it. No more sitting on the couch."

She opened her mouth to, perhaps, give another excuse, but soon clapped it shut. He remained quiet while she seemed to work through what he said and what her options were. Soon enough, she seemed to make a decision and lifted up her coffee cup.

"Okay, then, we're a team," she said, raising it towards him. He accepted her toast and clinked his mug against hers.

"Now, eat your oatmeal," he admonished. "Rule number one on Team Auggie, we don't waste food."

She dutifully took a bite and, after swallowing, said, "I think we should take a vote on team names. Team Annie has a much better ring to it."

* * *

After doing the first mix of dough and setting it to rise, Auggie grabbed up his crank-powered flashlight and opened the trap door. The cool, humid air wafted up into the room.

"Ladies first," Auggie said with a smile.

"Very funny," she said, crossing her arms and fixing him with a stare, complete with arched eyebrow.

"And here I thought you were a great adventurer," Auggie said.

She shook her head, so he shrugged and let himself down the ladder. He clicked the flashlight on to light Annie's way, and soon enough, she was standing beside him.

"Welcome to my dungeon," he said in his most evilest voice.

Annie rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help smiling. He'd missed seeing that on her face, so he set about showing her all of his food stores. She seemed genuinely interested, so he went into detail about how he kept the temperature and humidity levels at a certain level. He also showed her the ventilation system and explained how it had to be kept going, or else the food would go bad.

"And here I thought you just had a couple of coolers down here," she said, picking up a can of preserved tomatoes.

"I did the first year. That was –" Auggie shook his head at the memory. "That was rough. I had an idea of what to expect around here, weather-wise, but didn't really plan well for food."

"What did you do?" Annie asked.

"Went back to my soldier ways. Brought a store of MREs for emergencies. Ate them the last couple of months before the spring thaw when I could get to town. Spent the next summer planting the garden and learning the hunting laws and ordinances for the area. This cellar was here when I bought the place. I just reinforced it and built shelves to hold everything."

"Well, you are quite the cook, so I'd have to say you're doing quite well for yourself, Auggie," she said, replacing the jar back on the shelf. "What about the freezer we're going to put the bread in?"

"Ah, back here," he said, sliding past her to the far end of the heavily shelved room. Near the roof of the cellar, or floor of the cabin, actually, was a door a couple of feet square. He twisted the handle and pulled. "This is actually outside," he said. "In summer, it's just cool, being in the ground, but come winter, when the ground freezes, voila, instant accessible indoor freezer."

Annie squeezed past him to look inside. He hadn't stored anything in there yet, but he hoped to stock it with some game if the weather broke for a bit, or if not, he could cook up some meals and store them for use later.

"I have to say, I am impressed," Annie said as he shut the freezer.

"Yeah, well, it is five years in the making, so, you know," he said with a shrug.

"Don't be so modest," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "This is brilliant work. I don't feel so lost knowing I've got my own grocery store down here at my disposal."

He colored slightly at her compliment. "And just think, you don't have to worry about coupons."

Her ensuing laughter filled the small room, and Auggie joined in, feeling happier and lighter than he had in years.

* * *

**A/N Another shoutout to Epona3. Your help allowed this chapter and a few pages of outline to be written. Thanks!**

**Please review. **


	10. Chapter 10

A little over a month after the snow started falling, Auggie woke in the middle of the night, startled out of a dream that, for the first time in his life, still played through his mind for a few minutes before beginning to fade away.

He lay in the darkness and tried to settle his racing heart and clear his mind of the confusion. The flashes of images stayed, but made no sense. He assumed he dreamt of the desert most nights, but what his dream showed was Annie walking out into the blizzard and getting lost within seconds. He'd tried going after her, but his bum leg flared with pain and felt heavier and heavier with each step.

He shook his head to rid himself of the fleeting pictures and lost feelings. So much for never remembering what he dreamed, Auggie thought as he turned onto his side and punched the pillow. He shut his eyes to resume his slumber, but it refused to come. He was wide awake, and by the pitch blackness all around him, it was still the middle of the night.

With a deep sigh, he pulled himself out of the pile of blankets and furs. The cold air met his bare chest, but he barely felt it. Years of living here made him used to the chilliness of the place. He did keep flannel pants and thick socks on while he slept, but it was mostly just to give himself some comfort.

Since Annie was still asleep, he decided to get some water and clear his mind before settling back to bed. The ladder creaked a couple of times, but no sound came from Annie, so he moved through the darkness toward the kitchen. With practiced hands, he poured a cup of water and hummed softly as the cool liquid soothed him.

The cup, however, clanged slightly as he sat it back down.

"What? What's going on?"

"Damn it," Auggie whispered to himself. "Annie, it's just me. I was getting a drink. Sorry I woke you."

"Auggie?"

He heard the uncertainty in her voice, so he walked over to the table and lit the lantern. The room filled with a soft glow, and he saw that she'd sat up slightly, wrapped up in her blankets.

"Yeah, it's me. Sorry, again, for waking you up. I – uhh –" he hesitated at telling her about his nightmare, as he still didn't understand it fully. "I woke up and needed a drink."

"Oh. But you're - you're okay?"

The corner of his mouth lifted at that. He couldn't remember the last time someone asked him that. "Yeah, I'm good."

She was still staring at him with something close to disbelief, and he wondered why until he remembered that he was shirtless. And, by the look on Annie's face right now, she didn't mind one bit. Their relationship over the weeks had evolved into something of a friendship, but there was no denying the attraction.

He was about to extinguish the lantern to allow them both to go to sleep, but she pushed aside the blankets and hopped off the couch. He had no idea what she normally slept in, but it was close to his. One of his flannel button-downs covered the top of her with the tails flapping against her bare legs, and her feet were encased on thick socks.

"Can you hold on turning that off? I, umm, have to go," she said, trotting across the floor to the bathroom.

If she was gawking at his bare chest, Auggie was mesmerized by her legs as they flashed by him. He knew that he was attracted to Annie, but he'd kept it bottled 'cause, really, the situation wasn't all that conducive to acting on his feelings. He ran a hand over his face. He doubted he could get to sleep now.

Maybe a bit of warmth would settle down his nerves, he thought. Plus, building the fire would keep his hands and mind occupied. Once the flames began licking the stones, he sat down on the rug in front of it.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed Annie's return until she sat down beside him. Her bare legs – save for the thick socks – stretched in front of her.

"Mm, that feels good," she said, her toes wriggling in the heat. Nothing remained of the severe sprain that waylaid her a month ago.

"Yeah, well, figured we could use it to get back to sleep."

"It's a shame we can't keep it going through the night," she said.

"Are you cold?" he asked. "You should have said something."

"Oh, not really. I've got, like, six blankets on me, but sometimes –" her voice trailed off, and she shrugged.

Auggie felt like a heel. All this time, he'd been sleeping in his homemade warm nest he'd made for himself in the loft while she was relegated to the couch. At first, she had to stay there because of her injury, but for weeks now she'd been completely healthy.

She laughed softly. "You know, I think the cold's affecting my dreams. I've had some weird ones since I came here. Once I was lost in a snowstorm and kept hearing someone calling my name. And then there's the one that I come face-to-face with a Sasquatch, and I'm mad 'cause I haven't got my camera with me, and I could have made a fortune and retired on the pictures."

Auggie laughed out loud.

"What, haven't you heard the stories about Bigfoots in your area?" she asked.

"Yes, I've heard them, and no, I've yet to see one. No prints, either, so no trudging through the snow looking for some," he said with a wink.

Annie huffed, but he saw that she was smiling, as well.

Coupled with the flame lighting her skin and golden hair, he felt even more hesitant about moving her up to the loft with him. But he knew how cold the place got, despite the blankets and fire.

He cleared his throat and said, "You know, I've made my loft pretty much a haven against the cold with furs and blankets. We could share, you know, for the warmth."

It sounded wrong and a bit creepy to his ears, but to his surprise, she answered, "If you wouldn't mind too much."

"I wouldn't have asked if I minded," he replied with a shrug.

"Okay, then," she said, hopping back up to her feet. She went and grabbed her pillow from the couch. "Lead the way."

"Go ahead, I've got to beat this back down. I'll leave the embers to keep some heat going," he said. In truth, he wanted to get a hold on his own libido and imagination before climbing into bed with Annie. The last time he'd shared a bed with a woman was before the incident in Tikrit. He'd worked through the majority of his issues since then, but getting close to a woman hadn't been his priority. Living alone for years meant he'd never had an opportunity to do so.

Well, soldier, he thought to himself, no time like the present. He just hoped the dreams would stay in his head, and Annie's closeness didn't create any more.

* * *

**A/N It's been days, I know, but I'd started this chapter with other ideas and hated it, so I moved ahead and jumped onto where I wanted the story to go. It's 10 chaps already, and this is supposed to be a romance, right?**

**So, what do you think? Please review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Annie POV**

Annie wasn't sure what possessed her to accept Auggie's invitation to share his bed. She didn't think it came across as complaining when she said the blankets were warm enough. It was just the truth. The couch was comfortable and firm, but didn't really allow for much movement. And if she did attempt to turn over, the blankets didn't always move with her, leaving her feet hanging out every once in a while. Hence the socks she took to wearing, although they were good also for after-hours trips to the bathroom.

The promise of a warmer and softer bed appealed to her shivering limbs. And she couldn't lie to herself. The sight of Auggie standing before her shirtless in the flickering light made every iota of her body that was female stand up and pay attention.

When her head reached the top of the ladder, and she could see into the loft, her breath caught, and she scrambled up. Auggie wasn't kidding when he said he'd made a nest for himself up here. The angled ceiling made the small room into a triangle that would barely allow either of them to stand up straight. But the room wasn't made for standing up in. It was covered with mats and blankets and furs with several pillows at one end denoting how he slept.

She could tell where he usually bedded down, so she crawled over to the opposite side and climbed in. The fire had warmed her skin for a little bit downstairs, but the surrounding air was still a bit cold.

The layers not only created warmth as she settled between them, their softness put her at ease almost immediately.

The light of the room below died down as the fire was extinguished, but the lantern flared to life again. Its light moved around and then up the ladder. Auggie's head ascended into the loft, and he carried the lantern up with him.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

"How do you ever leave this?" Annie mumbled from underneath her blanketed oasis.

"Well, you will eventually get hungry and thirsty," he said with a laugh.

"Thank you, Auggie," she said.

He put the lantern down and climbed on his side of the bed. The lantern lit up the area and him, and before he pulled the blankets over him, Annie saw a flash of black between his shoulders. She lifted her head to get a better look, but it was soon covered up, and the lantern extinguished.

By what she'd been able to glimpse, it was a tattoo, either tribal or patriotic by its design. Her mouth opened to ask him about it, but she stopped herself. If it was the latter, it was probably a remnant of his soldier days. He'd never spoken of it past that one day, and given his emotional response then, she couldn't imagine how he'd respond now.

The late hour and comfort of her new bed was beginning to take its toll, and Annie filed the information away to ask him about later. For now, she'd accept the good fortune she was given and get some blissful sleep.

* * *

She'd fallen asleep in warmth, comfort, and softness, and to her delight, she woke the same way. Her eyes blinked open automatically, but once cognizant of her surroundings, she shut them again and snuggled down into her bedded oasis with a self-satisfied hum.

But her eyes snapped open when she heard – and felt – an answering hum to her sound and movement.

Though Auggie's "bed," was really a nest of bedding material instead of a boxspring and mattress, it was around the size of a king bed. When they'd fallen asleep, there was more than enough room between them for comfort, but something seemed to have happened in the ensuing hours.

Now they were nearly face-to-face, only a few inches separating their faces. His arm hung loosely over her waist, and their legs ghosted against each other's. She tensed for a few seconds, but then relaxed again. Though not done intentionally, their near-embrace felt somehow natural, and Annie decided to use it to her advantage.

Ever since he'd opened himself to her, and they'd awkwardly embraced on the couch, she often wondered about the man Auggie was. The man that didn't hide behind jokes and stoic silences. She often caught him looking at her, and she couldn't lie, she'd done the same, but Auggie's attention made her feel warm and wanted. Which, she had to admit to herself, she'd been craving as of late.

At the beginning, she'd pushed it aside as just being in close proximity with a handsome, virile man who seemed to like her. But now? They'd gotten to know each other over the past few weeks, and her admiration for him had only grown further. He'd never expounded on his time in the desert, or why he walked with a limp and sometimes stared into space or the fire while absently rubbing his thigh.

She'd stopped herself multiple times of asking him, point blank, what had happened, thinking he'd tell her when or if he was good and ready. But one thing was clear. He'd been damaged years ago, and this solitary paradise was his refuge.

He still slept now, seemingly unaware of their movements in the night that'd drawn them to one another. It allowed Annie to study him close-up, and she took note of his chiseled face and jaw and the wave of brown hair that fell over his forehead and cheek as he slept.

When they first met, his good looks were obvious, but up close? She saw the fine lines at the corner of his eyes and slight scruff that mottled his jawline. He seemed more human and approachable than he ever had, and Annie's fingers unconsciously raised to see if his lips felt as soft as they looked.

Her small movement must've roused him, though, 'cause his arm contracted slightly against her waist. She felt his hand press against the small of her back with the movement, and his eyes half-opened sleepily.

A moan deep within his chest emanated from him, and before Annie could fathom what was happening or knew to disengage before anything else happened, Auggie's face covered the space between them, and his lips were on hers.

Her arms were trapped between them, and his arm held her body tight, or else Annie would've protested, but the second the kiss started, she was lost. He didn't press or insist or even attempt to deepen it. In any other situation, it'd be considered somewhat platonic, but that was nowhere near what Annie was feeling at the moment.

As warm and comfortable as she felt in the layers of blankets of furs, it didn't compare to what she was feeling right now. Auggie's sleep-induced kiss evoked a feeling of inner peace and hope and promise. All too soon, he pulled back, and Annie swallowed a whimper at the loss.

With his withdrawal, he turned over, pulling entirely away from her, and Annie lay there for a few minutes, silent and softly shaking. She wondered if he was awake enough to know what he'd just done. And if he wasn't, would she tell him?

After a few more minutes of arguing both viewpoints to herself, Annie knew there was no way she'd be able to get back to sleep. Staring at Auggie's form lying beside her wasn't helping, either. She decided to climb out and down and restart the fire. She had a lot to think about.

* * *

**A/N So, what'd you think? First kiss! Well, sorta, kinda. :)**

**Please review.**


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